Bringing more play back into school may be one way to help young male learners from falling behind. Library spaces and programs grounded in play-based learning (along with high quality pre-K options) also provide important support. According to the 2009 report “Crisis in the Kindergarten,” socio-dramatic play helps children build language and social skills and develop empathy. Libraries can offer the free play and playful learning experiences that benefit all children but may particularly support young boys’ learning needs.
Almost all scientific publications are published as PDF files. A major drawback of this format is that the formatting is fixed. Particularly, you cannot adjust the font size of the content. Hence, reading PDF files on smaller screens means that you constantly have to zoom in and out to read text.
Library vendors have made several announcements recently, including many during the recent American Library Association (ALA) conference in Philadelphia at the end of June. Here’s some of the recent news:
The mission of the Black Women’s Organizing Archive (BWOA) is to gather the papers and ephemera of 19th- and 20th-century Black female activists and intellectuals. The digital and community-centered archive includes the papers of four extraordinary women—Anna Julia Cooper, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Mary Church Terrell, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper—from archives and repositories across the United States and Canada.
Older adults are looking for ways to reduce isolation, forge connections with others, and learn new skills—and libraries have a key growth opportunity to help them achieve these goals. Gale Presents: GetSetUp helps libraries fill these critical needs with a turnkey online solution that doesn’t place any additional burden on staff.
Library Journal is seeking submissions for its annual Year in Architecture issue (November 2025). The issue will feature public and academic library projects completed between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. Let us know about your remodeling projects and new buildings by filling out this online form. Material must be submitted by Friday, August 1 to be considered for the issue.
Disability Pride Month commemorates the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which President George H.W. Bush signed into law on July 26, 1990. In recognition of this month-long observance, the following list promotes the de-stigmatization of disability, combats ableism, celebrates visibility, and honors the accomplishments, influence, strength, and joy of the disability community. A downloadable list of these titles is available here.
“We started doing over half of our programming in parks. If it wasn’t virtual, it was in a park.”
The Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize, developed in partnership between the Gerald M. Kline Family Foundation and Library Journal, was created in 2019 to recognize the public library as a vital community asset. When libraries, civic entities, organizations, and the people they serve become close partners, their communities thrive. One winning library will receive $250,000 in unfettered grant monies from the Gerald M. Kline Family Foundation. The winning library will also be profiled in the March 2026 issue of Library Journal and online. Honorable mentions may also be named. The deadline for nominations is September 15.
The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware leads holds this week. Also in demand are titles by Sarah Maclean, Adriana Trigiani, Linda Castillo, and Sophie Elmhirst. Winners of the CWA Daggers Awards are announced. Audiofile announces July’s Earphones Award winners. People’s book of the week is Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart. LJ rounds up July’s starred reviews. August’s Indie Next list is out, featuring #1 pick When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén. Plus, LitHub releases its “Most Anticipated Books of 2025, Part Two.”
Lucky Day, by Chuck Tingle, is a starred horror selection. "The clearest expression of Tingle’s 'love is real' philosophy, in a brutal, bloody, and cosmically joyful outing. A must-buy for any horror collection." Evelyn Skye's The Incredible Kindness of Paper is a starred fiction title. "A heartfelt, feel-good novel full of warmth, wonder, and romance. Perfect for anyone in need of a little hope." And in social sciences, Robert Hilland and John Edward's Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and Justice is a starred selection. "An intensely honest and visceral journey into darkness, intuition, and the pursuit of justice; a must-have for libraries’ true crime collections."
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